String fullTitle = 'Maximum Spider Quest #20';
int postNumber = 5986860;
String image = '1714088919401438.jpg';
String date = '04/25/24(Thu)19:48:39';
String comment = 'You are Ben Parker, super-powered criminal and thief extraordinaire. After being bitten by a radioactive spider, you underwent a miraculous change, and adopted the identity of "The Huntsman"! But it's not all bad! Your clone brother, Abel Parker, works to protect the city, and potentially help clean up some of your messes. He goes by the name of "Spider-Man"!
Archive:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.
Last time: The Huntsman swung over to Central Park and met up with the Morlocks residing there. Shortly after arriving, he ran into Gwen Stacy, a.k.a. "Bastion", and her father, Captain George Stacy, and played a part in introducing them to Gwen's clone, Joy.
They didn't get along at first, but with a bit of persuasion, Joy was willing to sit down and hear her family out.
While that was happening, Ben spent some time with Ester, met up with Glass, and helped the two of them gather the rest of the Central Park mutants in order to discuss their plans going forward. Only, those plans were almost immediately derailed when Screwball crashed the party!
But oddly enough, she actually seems willing to help the Morlocks find their footing here on the surface.
Can she be trusted, or is she simply taking advantage of them in order to gain more clout? How will everyone react to learning that the Morlocks don't have any intention of leaving the park anytime soon? Will Ben ever be able to persuade his team to roll out of bed and help with Screwball's plan?
Find out more in the latest issue of…MAXIMUM SPIDER QUEST!
Rules:
Most dice rolls will be 1d100. Modifiers will be added depending on the situation or on the alien being used(Usually +10 or -10). Crit successes and crit fails apply. Crit fails can be overridden by crit successes, but crit failures cannot override crit successes.
How to Roll:
To roll dice, type “dice+1d100” in the options field without the quotations. To roll dice with positive modifiers, type “dice+1d100+modifier number” in the options field without quotations, and with an actual modifier number. To roll dice with negative modifiers, type “dice+1d100+-modifier number” in the options field without quotations, and with an actual modifier number.
Pastebins:
Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV
Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd
Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE
Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip
Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR
Good luck and have fun!'
'During the meeting, there were a lot of ideas, concepts, names and promises flying around. You weren’t the only one who knew people, as it turned out.
For example, Beak, the bird-man mutant, claimed to be capable of getting in contact with Dazzler and a girl called Blink. No one other than Beak seemed to know who the latter was, so you weren’t sure how impressed you should be feeling. You sort of clocked out of that conversation after hearing Beak say that she was actually from another dimension entirely.
Someone else suggested the name “Lila Cheney”, a supposed intergalactic thief and rock-star that could use her mutant abilities to teleport between planets. But no one there knew how to get in contact with someone like that. Not even Beak.
Various other mutants were mentioned. Those possessing abilities that could benefit the Morlocks during the planning phase and the actual service they were supposed to provide. But none had a bigger impact than the name that Screwball dropped.
“Hey, what about the Scarlet Witch? She’s a mutant too, right? I don’t want to assume that all mutants know each other, but…”
Screwball petered off when she realized that everyone other than you was giving her an odd look. From their expressions, you would’ve thought that she’d sprouted a second head and started breathing fire.
“Why’d everyone go all quiet?” you asked.
Glass was the first to speak up.
“We do know her. Wanda’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, but she’s…”
“A fucking psycho?” Skids muttered.
Glass frowned.
“I was going to say ‘troubled’.”
Skids sighed.
“Of course you would.”
“Screwball, would you mind turning off the camera for a little while?” Glass asked.
The criminal streamer must’ve sensed the group’s sudden change in mood, because she did as she was asked without arguing.
Glass nodded his thanks.
“Not a whole lot of people know this, but Wanda suffers from…psychological issues.”
“Her make-believe children died, and she broke the world as punishment. She herself admitted it. Somehow, it got put back together, but no one knows what happened between then and now.” Skids explained.
“I do.”
Everyone turned to stare at Beak. He wasn’t ruffled by the sudden shift in attention.
“Well, not me, technically. But I do know a girl who knows things, and she told me a bit about what happened.” he corrected.
“Says that it wasn’t the only time the Scarlet Witch has done it, either. She can warp reality, change history at will, blink whole entire planets out of existence.”
“That’s why no one messes with her.” the purple guy added.
“But didn’t I hear you guys say that you approached her about the fairy flowers?” you said.
“The what?”
You ignored Screwball’s question, as well as the confused look on her face.
(Cont.)';
'“We did reach out.” Glass confirmed.
“But that was only because we had it on good word that she was in a good mood. Like everyone, she has good days and bad days.”
“Except on a bad day, she can wipe out an entire country.” Tommy said.
Iara was glancing back and forth between everyone, silently absorbing this information and filing it away for later.
“On a positive note, we think she’d be open to trading with us, but I doubt anyone would be willing to make the trip to her little cabin in the woods.” Glass said.
Skids held her hands up and shook her head.
“Don’t look at me. I’m not going anywhere near that lady. She’d smash right through my forcefield and squash me like a grape.”
“If it makes you feel any better, she probably wouldn't have to go anywhere near you if she wanted to squash you.” Iara pointed out.
Skids rolled her eyes.
“You know, Shark, somehow, against all odds, that argument isn’t making me feel any better. In fact, I think it’s doing the opposite.”
“Okay, so…no to reaching out to the Scarlet Witch. Does that also disqualify her brother?” Screwball asked.
While the group bickered amongst themselves, you mentally took stock of the contacts and favors you’ve been piling up.
Who will you ask to help out with the Central Park Sleepover?
>Flint. He’s got muscles, and he technically never gets tired. He’d be a great addition to the team.
>Ember. If you can find a way to disguise her, then her ability to generate pixel particles out of thin air should make this whole process a lot easier.
>The thief girls, Araña and Benga. If anyone needs to get something or get somewhere, your new employees should be able to lend a hand.
>Gloria Munoz. She’s got a bit of a soft spot for Glass, so maybe she’d be willing to shell out some cash to help him out.
>Michael Morbius. No one has to know that his henchmen are vampires. They’ll just think that they work on a strict “nights-only schedule”.
>Silvermane. He could benefit by putting his face on this project and farming some goodwill for the future.
>Write-in.
Pastebins:
Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV
Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd
Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE
Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip
Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR';
'>>5986865
>Michael Morbius. No one has to know that his henchmen are vampires. They’ll just think that they work on a strict “nights-only schedule”.
Oh yeah, its morbing time. On one hand, his Jared Letoish features might scare some people, on the other everyone loves vampires which is what we are after!';
'>>5986865
>Silvermane. He could benefit by putting his face on this project and farming some goodwill for the future.
Gotti did it. Why not Silvio?
>Gloria Munoz. She’s got a bit of a soft spot for Glass, so maybe she’d be willing to shell out some cash to help him out.
I figure it shouldn't be too out of place to lean on her a little bit. Besides, she'll have an excuse to chit-chat with Glass for the next few weeks if she does help out.
>The thief girls, Araña and Benga. If anyone needs to get something or get somewhere, your new employees should be able to lend a hand.
They're damn good at what they do, and I get the feeling they wouldn't say no to helping out the underprivileged.
>Ember. If you can find a way to disguise her, then her ability to generate pixel particles out of thin air should make this whole process a lot easier.
IMAGINE the attractions she can set up given the time and resources! This'll be great for her "resume" as it were as well.';
'>>5986865
>>Ember. If you can find a way to disguise her, then her ability to generate pixel particles out of thin air should make this whole process a lot easier.';
'>>5986865
>Silvermane and Gloria Munoz. It’s both a chance to conduct business together better handled by people speaking in person while building up good will for the new industry being built by Silvermane.
I forget if we suggested Gloria as a potential backer for the company, but if we did then this is excellent for them from a PR standpoint. If not then it’s still an opportunity to do some business while doing good. Plus Gloria can attest to the reliability of Glass for discretion.
If they just send agents instead that’s fine too. I’d expect that if Gloria didn’t have her own possible reasons for wanting to visit.
>The thief girls, Araña and Benga. If anyone needs to get something or get somewhere, your new employees should be able to lend a hand.
Why not? They were already going to help with the flowers, and Glass could use them to do some initial investigative work on whoever is pushing drugs around here.
>Michael Morbius. No one has to know that his henchmen are vampires. They’ll just think that they work on a strict “nights-only schedule”.
Good for the outcasts to keep in touch, and with all the people who could be helping during the day it wouldn’t be weird to call in a night crew too.
>Flint and your sister. They might enjoy one last chance together here on Earth to do some good before they start on their space adventure.
I thought they left by now but if Flint’s an option then I assume both are around? In any case, I’m not taking our best bro away from our sister while they’re on Earth. Va Nee will be out way more often up there.
>Hobie. Most of the Morlocks should be particularly versed in security systems, and getting some experience with them from a tech expert would be nice. Maybe he’s bored in retirement enough to consider it.
>Ana. You don’t think she’ll actually swing by to help, but it’d be nice to talk and catch up with her. There’s a small chance she can find other business to do while she’s here with the Nightguard or Morbius too.
Reaching here, but why not? If not, we just get to talk to our girlfriend on the phone some. Not a total loss there.
>Spiderwoman and Bastion, and SHIELD through them. They’ll be a little antsy with all these activities and personalities in Central Park. Building a little PR while keeping some off-duty heroes nearby isn’t bad in their book.
>Squirrel Girl. She and Nature Girl may get along, and squirrels doing cute things with cute trees will make for good viewing on Screwball’s stream.
>Cindy and Wanda. Not to help, just to enjoy the park. Cindy can catch up with some Morlocks as well.
Not sure if they would want to come in plainclothes or in suits. Up to them, though I’d prefer plainclothes so they can relax more.
>Sable International. Screwball is here, and they can try doing a recruitment pitch to her audience. Every private mercenary force could use more hackers.
Running out of space. Who’d I miss?';
'>>5986910
>>5986865
Ah, now I remember.
>Abel. Putting up with your evil twin will raise some eyebrows, but you can justify it by pointing out there aren’t a lot of spider-based supers around here. It’ll also put any concerns about you two being the same person to rest.
Hang out with the little(?) bro. Pretty sure we can manage some entertaining bits for Screwball’s stream too.
>Thomas Edison. If there’s anywhere he’ll be able to fit in without anyone batting an eye, it’ll be here. He can show off some toys for Screwball if he’s still looking for sponsors too.
Alright, if I’ve forgotten anyone else then gravity would take care of them from here.';
'>>5986872
>>5986884
>>5986903
>>5986910
So far we've got two for Ember, two for the Thief Girls, two for Morbius, two for Silvermane, and two for Gloria. I'm gonna leave the vote open until tomorrow afternoon, so feel free to discuss the matter among yourselves!';
'>>5986865
>>5986884
RIGHT, I FORGOT TO ADD THIS
>Abe. You've been meaning to spend some time with him anyways, and this would be a great excuse to hang out and catch up. If he's free for a day or two, Spider-Man going on record as a Mutant ally and attending the event could do a ton for their public image.';
'>>5986861
>>5986978
I forgot to add Ember in mine. I assume she can go in either in a suit or a “suit” (something using her powers) that she hasn’t used before. What’s one more masked super that we’re connected with somehow?
So we’re up to three for Ember and two for Abe as well. And one for way too many others.
I don’t suppose I can get any takers to join me on the full bandwagon? I’m willing to treat all of the write-ins I did as a “hey, want to come do a thing” deal and if people say no then we accept it and move on. We can put a little more effort into Gloria, Silvermane, and Morbius since they can bring in crews to expedite this. Same with anyone else anons voted for, so Abe, Ember, Araña, and Benga would get more of a push if they were hesitant.';
'>>5986872
>>5986884
>>5986903
>>5986910
>>5986933
>>5987009
>>5987193
Definite Votes:
>Ember
Probable Votes:
>Abe
>Thief Girls
>Morbius
>Silvermane
>Gloria
This is how we're looking right now. Would anyone like to switch, add anything, or wait a while before we proceed? Should I only move forward with the Ember vote, or should I include the other ones as well?';
'>>5987467
I'll add
>Abe, Araña, Benga
Might as well. Silvermane and Gloria though I'm not too confident we could sell them this project.';
'>>5987468
Should we go lower on the totem pole for the Maggia? It feels a bit much to bring Silvermane directly into it without Gloria involved, but I assume there’s a lieutenant who’d be authorized to send some guys for PR.';
'>>5987467
>>5987468
>Ember
>Abe
>Thief Girls
Taking these. Gonna get as much writing as I can before my Pathfinder session. If I can't finish in time, then I'll either stay up late or post it tomorrow.';
'“I think I might know a few people.” you announced.
Glass grinned at that,
“I’d be surprised if you didn’t.”
—-------
As soon as you found a moment to slip away from the group, you climbed up a light pole and dialed Araña’s number.
“Hey, boss. How’s it hangin’?”
“I’ve got some work for you girls. Can you, Benga and Ember all head over to Central Park?”
“Sure. What you need?”
“Nothing yet, but I’d like to have you on standby in case someone needs something.”
“Oookay. I’m gonna need a little more detail than that.”
“It’s nothing dangerous. Me and the mutants living in Central Park are working on a little project. I figured that since you’re going to be working with them already, you might as well get in on this. If they need something or need to go somewhere, having a nice reliable set of wheels would be a huge help.”
There was a pause over the line as Araña took a moment to explain things to the others.
“Alright. We should be there in a few. Just need to grab a few things.” Araña said.
There was some shuffling as she grabbed her keys, and you could vaguely hear Ember’s voice in the background.
“Wait–is that a gun?”
“What’s it look like? Come on, we’re heading out.” Araña casually shot back.
“Why? Where are we going?”
“For a walk in the park. You’ll love it.”
“Can your feet even reach the pedals?” Ember asked.
“My foot’s gonna reach your ass if you don’t hurry up. Not there. In the back. Benga’s riding shotgun. She always rides shotgun. Just be glad I don’t make you ride in the trunk.”
“Make sure she wears a good disguise, too.” you put in.
“I wouldn’t have let her out of the house if she didn’t know that much.” Araña replied.
“Call me when you get here.”
“Will do. Hasta.”
She hung up, and you immediately went for Abe’s contact on your phone. It only took him a few seconds to pick up.
“Hey bro, what’s up?”
“Can you do me a huge favor?”
“This isn’t about bailing you out of jail, is it?”
“What? No! Not yet, at least.”
“Good. We’re too pretty for prison.”
”We most certainly are, but that’s besides the point. I need your help for a little project I’ve got going on with the Central Park Morlocks.”
“Oh, yeah? What’d you have in mind? Are they doing alright?”
“They’re fine, Abe. Gwen and her dad showed up to have a chat with Joy about sending her to live with them.”
“Oof. I can’t imagine that went well.”
“It didn’t. Not until I stepped in to mediate. They’re talking things out as we speak, but now I’ve got Screwball here talking to Glass and the others about holding an event where people come and hang out with the Morlocks.”
(Cont.)';
'“Hang out? Is there seriously that big of a market for that?” Abe asked, sounding skeptical.
“She seems to think so. But more importantly, her fans think so. And if she’s as big of an influencer as she’s making herself out to be, then we might have a serious moneymaker on our hands.”
Abel made a thoughtful noise over the phone.
“Hmm. Maybe. And what is it that you want from me?”
“Well, you’ve got those handy empathic powers of yours. They’ve got to come in handy at some point. Like convincing the cops to go easy on us, and persuading protesters and troublemakers to leave. Or even making sure that everyone who comes here to hang out has the time of their lives.”
“You don’t think that might backfire?”
“Not if they don’t find out. How would they even prove it?”
“Can’t argue with that logic.”
“Yeah. Could you imagine, arguing with yourself over the phone? That’d be insane!”
“I know! Tyler Durden, much?”
“Aw man, don’t say that. It makes it sound like I’m gonna have to fight you someday.”
“Eh, it had to happen sometime. If you haven’t fought your siblings at least once, then can you really say that you’re related?”
“Can’t argue with that logic.”
The two of you shared a laugh.
What will you say?
>”What have you been up to these days? Got any wild stories from your crime fighting escapades?”
>”How’s school? Have you met any nice girls? Has Squirrel Girl shown up on campus after everything that happened?”
>How’ve you been, man? I feel like I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’re you holding up?”
>Recount to him one of your recent adventures/encounters. (Write-in)
>Write-in.
Pastebins:
Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV
Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd
Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE
Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip
Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR';
'>>5987524
>"Now that you mention it though, we should go a few rounds sometime. I wanna know what you picked up on the streets. But anyways..."
>How’ve you been, man? I feel like I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’re you holding up?”
>”How’s school? Have you met any nice girls? Has Squirrel Girl shown up on campus after everything that happened?”
I am genuinely curious to see how his style of fighting has diverged from ours, but I also just wanna see how he's hanging.';
'>>5987524
>>5987556
Supporting, and I can think of one story to share with him that he’ll get a kick out of.
>Tell Abe about your tennis match with Callisto.
I now realize I want to play doubles with Abe. Can’t beat that level of synchronicity easily.';'>>5987556
>>5987709
>"Now that you mention it though, we should go a few rounds sometime. I wanna know what you picked up on the streets. But anyways..."
>How’ve you been, man? I feel like I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’re you holding up?”
>”How’s school? Have you met any nice girls? Has Squirrel Girl shown up on campus after everything that happened?”
Taking these. Writing...
>>5987709
True! They're pretty much the perfect tag-team in anything they do.';
'>>5989230
>True! They're pretty much the perfect tag-team in anything they do.
Yeah it's hard to think of anybody they couldn't beat in a 2-on-1 (or even a 2-vs-2) scenario.
Hell, Benny and Abe might even have a greater affinity for each other than any other pair of Spider Folk (pic related) given their extreme genetic similarity, memories, etc...';
'>>5989339
The inevitable Spider-Family beatdown is going to be LEGENDARY!';
'“Now that you mention it though, we should go a few rounds sometime. I wanna know what you picked up from the streets.” you said, wondering how your new fighting technique would measure up to someone with your same base powerset.
“But anyways,” you continued. “How’ve you been, man? I feel like I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’re you holding up?”
“Better now. But that might be because Sable’s people and the police are stepping up to deal with petty crimes and the occasional Z and D Listers that pop up every now and again. And the Bootleg Avengers aren’t doing a terrible job, either. They need a little help here and there, but I expected worse after Doom trashed the city.”
“That’s great, Abe. But asked how you were doing, not the city.”
“The city’s well-being has a lot to do with how I feel, though. Haven’t I ever told you how my power works?”
“Not in great detail, no.”
“Hm. Well, you know how I can sense the emotions of those around me, right?”
“Right.”
“Well, their emotions don't just wash over me. Not always, at least. Think of it like a strong adhesive. Once they stick to me, I can peel them away, but there’s still a bit of that sticky residue gunk left behind. With a bit of effort, I can get it off, but there are some days where I feel like I carry a little piece of everyone I run into. Everyone I save, everyone I fight…it affects me in small ways, and I’m trying to pay more attention to that.”
“Damn. How’re you dealing with that?”
“Webb gives me a cursory psychic CAT scan whenever she sees me, and if she ever sees me struggling, she recommends me to a psychiatrist she knows.”
“Does it help?”
“Sometimes. Not always. I’ve been trying to follow some of her advice. I’ve been going out more, and I’ve taken up a few hobbies. You should try it sometime.”
“Hey! I’ve got lots of hobbies.”
“Making license plates in the slammer doesn’t count, bro.”
“But what if I’m really good at it? Maybe I should enter a competition.”
“There’s always someone better. And if you lose, I don’t think our ego could take it. I might even have to go back to therapy.”
You shared a chuckle at that.
“Well, I’m glad that you’re doing better. Does your therapist know about…everything?”
“Not everything. I’ve been holding out on her for some of the more critical details, and she’s smart enough to know that, but she doesn’t call me on it. In her mind, I probably just have some deep-rooted family issues.”
“You know I’ll be here if you ever need to talk, right?” you said.
“I know. I know. Ms. Kafka thinks I’ve got an easier time helping others instead of solving my own shit. And she’s probably right.”
“No, she’s definitely right. We’ve got problems, bro.”
(Cont.)';
'“I guess it runs in the family. Speaking of, how’s everyone doing these days?”
“Rich is homeschooling Pete, Pete’s blazing through all of his dad’s prepared assignments, Vic’s going to space…”
“Wait. Hold up. Since when did our adopted alien sister become a bonafide astronaut?”
“Since I introduced her to the Fantastic Four. They hired a cute, cuddly little bunny rabbit to shuttle her up and into the stars in search of people that can help fight the Grandmaster.”
“Her psycho warlord father? Wouldn’t it be better to do all that on Earth? I’d imagine that going into space is the last thing you’d want to do if you wanted to avoid an alien.”
“Reed says that there are too many people with eyes on our planet. We’ve got spies and alien visitors up the ass, so I can’t say that I disagree with him.”
“I guess that’s fair. The galaxy is a big place, after all. I just thought you’d be taking this harder, is all. You’re the one that has all those memories she implanted into your head. As far as you’re concerned, she’s your genuine little sister.”
“I’ve still got some time before she leaves, and she won’t be leaving forever. I’ll have to see whether we can do video calls every now and again. I’m more worried about Flint being up there with her.”
“Flint’s going too!? Since when?”
“Ever since I told him to go because he’s so obviously madly in love with our sister.” you answered.
“Sorry, I thought you knew. I didn’t want you to find out like this.”
Abe let out a frustrated sigh.
“Better late than never, I suppose. As long as he’s alive and happy, then I’m fine with it too. I just wish I had more time to spend with him.”
“He’s got way more free time than I do. I don’t think he can sleep anymore. He sort of just goes into a trance. So if you want to hang out with him, you’re free to invite him out somewhere.”
“I have. Several times, actually.”
“Oh. Well…how’d that go?”
“It was fun for a while, but it gets weird sometimes. He’ll reference something that only the two of you know about, and then there’s this brief awkward silence that I have to ignore. But otherwise, it's as if nothing’s changed. So long as he doesn’t bring up how weird he finds the clone thing. It’s a bit hard to get past, as it turns out.”
“Our personalities are pretty similar, though. They should just think of us as twin brothers.”
“I’m cool with the other Desperados, but at this point, they’re more your friends than they are mine. And there’s nothing wrong with that.”
You wanted to say more, but you were finding it hard to come up with a proper counter-argument. You and your brother more or less lived in different worlds, and that gap would only grow wider in the coming months.
Instead, you decided to change the subject.
(Cont.)';
'“How’s school? Have you met any nice girls?”
“I’ve been doing alright in my classes. I still haven’t decided on a major, but Biochem and Sociology sound pretty interesting from what I’ve read. Although, I’m a little preoccupied with the extra credit assignments I’ve had to pick up for skipping classes.” Abe explained.
“You know how it is. Superheroing and all. Serving the greater good hasn’t had the most positive effect on my report card.”
“At least you don’t have to get mom and dad to sign them anymore.”
You both laughed, and thankfully, Abe let the matter of your father drop.
“Now, quit holding out on me. Tell me about those co-eds.” you demanded.
“I’ve been on a few dates, but my erratic schedule has pretty much killed any chances of me going steady with any of them. There was this one girl that I really liked, but I don’t know if I can keep up with her.”
“Oh yeah? Tell me about her.”
Abe chuckled.
“Oh, she’s great. She’s smart, beautiful, funny. Everything I could want in a woman. But, if the rumors are to be believed, she likes hanging around guys that can buy her expensive jewelry and fur coats.”
“So? You can buy her that stuff with the money you’re getting from Webb.” you argued.
“I’m not in the market for a sugar baby.” Abe shot back. “I just think it's a shame, you know? A girl like her? She could do way better than them.”
“Right. And you’re saying that from an entirely unbiased perspective?”
“Shut-up, man.” Abe groaned.
“What about Squirrel Girl? Has she shown up on campus after everything that’s happened?” you asked.
“Yeah, she’s still here. I was avoiding her at first, since I didn’t want her to connect the dots between me and Spider-Man. But after running into her a few times, we’ve actually started talking a bit more. She’s kind of fun to be around, and we’ve had the occasional team-up since we go to the same college. I’m kind of surprised she hasn’t recognized me yet.”
(Cont.)';
'What will you say?
>”Maybe you should ask her out instead. She’s cute, and the two of you are already superheroes. You might have a lot to talk about.”
>”Is she still looking for Ember? I’d rather not have every squirrel in the city on her trail.”
>”Abe, if you really care about this woman you’ve been so hung up on, then you should go after her. Tell her how you feel. Rejection isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you.”
>”I’m surprised you didn’t go into psychology or something like that. Someone with your powers could make a real difference in that field. Sociology is sort of similar, right?”
>”If you end up picking Biochem, you should have Gwen give you some pointers every now and again. I’m sure she’d love to help when she isn't busy with field agent work.”
>Write-in.
Pastebins:
Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV
Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd
Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE
Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip
Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR';
'>>5989361
>”Maybe you should ask her out instead. She’s cute, and the two of you are already superheroes. You might have a lot to talk about.”
A significant other who you don't have to hide your alter-ego from AND can hold their own in a fight is a serious luxury.
Worst case scenario, it doesn't work out and life goes on. There's no reason not to give it a shot.
>”If you end up picking Biochem, you should have Gwen give you some pointers every now and again. I’m sure she’d love to help when she isn't busy with field agent work.”
Anyways, I shouldn't be surprised that vibes he picks up stick with him like that. I just hope there's more good days than bad for him in the long run.';
'>>5989361
>”Maybe you should ask her out instead. She’s cute, and the two of you are already superheroes. You might have a lot to talk about.”
>”Not to mention how useful thousands of furry messengers are. With the right words they can probably deliver groceries, find the trendiest places in the city, and give you dirt on all your worst enemies! Oh, and chew through the wires in every house you’ll ever own if you upset her.”
>”… even if it doesn’t work out it’s good for someone to know who you are on both sides of the mask. We know that, but maybe she doesn’t.”
>”Besides, it sounds like the most important quality you should look for is a cheery personality. If you’re going to be carrying a piece of your partner everywhere, make it a piece that’ll help you carry the rest.”
I’d also support Gwen since she’s pretty cheery as well. Might make it awkward when she interacts with us, but oh well.
>”Is she still looking for Ember? I’d rather not have every squirrel in the city on her trail.”
>”I was surprised you didn’t go into psychology since your powers give you ins that most psychologists don’t get. If things also stick to you more then I can see why.”
I had been all for psychology, but I’m less enthusiastic knowing he’ll be carrying their burdens more so than the average psychologist.';
'Forgot that I took off my trip to vote in another thread. Just now realized that it was off for the last few posts!';
'>>5989882
As amusing as it would be if a random anon did several story posts pretending to be you, I think we figured out which posts were yours!';
'>>5989373
>>5989619
Gonna combine these votes to the best of my ability. Writing...
>>5990388
If someone did it and it didn't turn out to be a complete shitpost, it would be pretty crazy.';
'“Maybe you should ask her out instead.” you suggested.
“Doreen? You really think so?”
“Why not? She’s cute, and the two of you are already superheroes. You might have a lot to talk about.”
Abe made a thoughtful noise.
“Hmm. She is pretty cute.” he thought aloud.
“Oh, come on, Abe. This is your chance to bag a pretty girl and amass an army of furry messengers all at the same time. That’s got to come with benefits. They can help you find the trendiest joints in the city, dish out dirt on all your worst enemies, and chew through the wires of every house you’ll ever own if you upset her.”
“You’re not really selling me on that last one, bud.”
“I’m just messing with you.” you said with a laugh.
“Point is, there really aren’t a whole lot of downsides to taking her out on a date. Even if things don’t work out, you’ll have a friend who knows who you really are, with or without the mask.” you argued.
“You really think I should reveal my identity to her?”
“Why not? It beats lying all the time, doesn’t it?”
“True. It’s been exhausting trying to keep everything under wraps this past year.” Abe admitted.
“Plus, it would probably benefit you to spend time with someone cheery like her. Maybe some of it would rub off on you.”
“Alright, fine. I’ll ask her out the next time I see her. I could definitely do worse, and she seems pretty nice.”
“Attaboy! Let me know how that goes.”
“Hey, I don’t ask about your dates with Ana.”
“You can if you want to. Although…I have to warn you, they can get a bit graphic. It’s not for the faint of heart.”
“No thanks. It took me a while to come to terms with the fact that I had to give up on her because the ‘original’ is dating her.”
That wiped the smile right off your face.
“I’m sorry, Abe. I-”
“Don’t. It’s not your fault. I’m not trying to guilt trip you. It’s not like I was madly in love with her, or anything. Not yet, anyway.” Abe said, sounding far more composed than someone in his position should’ve been.
“Besides, I didn’t want to fight over her. That shit can tear siblings apart if they’re not careful.”
It was times like this that you realized that Abe was the brother you’ve always wanted, but didn’t deserve. You should hang out with him more often.
“But enough about that. What’d you want me here for?”
You frowned at your phone, before turning to see Abe perched on the street lamp behind you.
Abe tilted his head to the side as he gave you an assessing look.
“That looks an awful lot like my costume.”
“You didn’t invent the color red.” you snapped back. “Plus, this has a jacket, and my secondary color is black, not blue.”
“I’m just saying, if you had black webs on that mask and changed some things around…”';
'“What happened to not getting sidetracked?”
“I made no such promises.”
“Alright, but hear me out…”
“This better not be a hot take. I get enough of those from the clowns I tangle with on a regular basis.” Abe said.
What will you say?
>”I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
>”Do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”
>”Do you know anyone who might be able to help with park renovations? You must’ve made some friends in the hero community during your time as Spider-Man.”
>"We're mostly in the planning phase, but the people here could really do with a bit of subtle moral support. Just a psychic nudge here and there to keep their spirits up. And if you have any ideas, feel free to contribute to the discussion."
>Write-in.
Pastebins:
Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV
Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd
Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE
Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip
Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR';
'>>5991029
>>”I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
>>5991026
>“I’m just saying, if you had black webs on that mask and changed some things around…”
IT'S LEGALLY DISTINCT I TELL YA';
'>>5991029
>”I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
>”We can make a show of the whole ‘evil twin’ bit by one-upping each other while helping out. Should play well with the crowd, especially if Iara can dunk on both of us sometimes. I’ll get some grief about it from the boys, but it’s for a group I like so I’ll deal.”
>”Do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”
Whichever role he thinks he’s better for. I’m sure he has contacts, but it’s his call on whether to pull them in or not.';
'>>5991029
>”Do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”
Is Abe still technically a virgin?';
'>>5991058
>>5991031
>>5991494
We've got two votes for both of these options.
>”I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
>”Do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”
Would you guys like me to proceed with these options or wait for more votes?';
'>>5991494
Nope. He's gotten his fair share of action while dorming at ESU.';
'>>5991779
I'm cool with those';
'>>5991779
I'm also cool with the combined options';
'>>5991779
I’m for combining. If Abe only wants to do one to keep his focus then he can pick either.';
'>>5991782
>>5991795
>>5991830
Gotcha! Writing...';
'“I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
Abe raised an eyebrow at that.
“Since when is Iara popular outside of the Morlock community?”
“Since she showed up on Screwball’s stream and stole the show.”
“For real? I hope she doesn’t let all that fame go to her head. Public opinion is a fickle beast, and people change their minds like the weather.”
“Let’s worry about that later. For now, we should get the word out about this little project.” you said.
Abe let out a large sigh.
“Not even one year into my career and I’m already selling my soul for views. Never thought I’d end up here this quickly.”
“Hey, it’s for a good cause. We give them a hand, they can make their own money, and maybe we can get a few people to see mutants in a better light because of it.”
“Alright, alright. I never said I wouldn't do it. My only condition is that I won't be following any scripts. All my best material is ad-libbed.”
You nodded your agreement.
“You and I both, brother. And while you’re at it, do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”
“Yeah, I noticed that too. I suppose it would make sense to send out the more charismatic twin to smooth things over.” Abe said, smoothing out the top of his mask as if he were running a hand through his hair.
“Babyclonesayswhat?”
“Not answering that.” Abe retorted, before turning his head and squinting into the distance. “They’re over there, right?”
Your eyes followed the trajectory of his finger towards the rough location of Cherry Hill.
“Yup. I think they’re still brainstorming ideas for how they can contribute.”
“Good. At least then we won’t be leaving everything up to Nature Girl. That kid’s gonna get a big head if we rely on her too much.”
“Amen to that.”
—-------
What will you do?
>Accompany Abe to watch him crash Screwball’s stream. Having the real Spider-Man show up to steal her thunder is probably gonna have her foaming at the mouth.
>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.
>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.
>Write-in.
Pastebins:
Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV
Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd
Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE
Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip
Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR';
'>>5991981
>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.';
'>>5991981
>>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.
really curious to see if they worked something out';
'>>5991981
>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.
We should intercept them before they stumble onto Screwball anyway. If the Stacys are agitated then we can steer them away from the gathering.';
'>>5991992
>>5992375
>>5992399
>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.
I'm gonna try and push out an update tomorrow afternoon. I tried to get some work done, but I got a bit busy, and I've gotta wake up a little earlier than usual tomorrow morning.';
'While Abe was busy trying to become a social media sensation, you set out to find Joy and the Stacys. Which, after you thought about it for a second, would make for a pretty sick band name.
It didn’t take you long to find them, as they were still generally in the same area you’d left them in. And seeing as how no one was shouting or pummeling one another, you thought it was safe to maintain your optimism towards the situation.
Unsurprisingly, Joy turned to note your approach before the others even got a chance. She’d spread her webs all throughout the trees in this part of the park, and that meant that her little spider sentries were giving her feedback on their surroundings. And you had an inkling that a man in red and black spandex swinging past at roughly 45 mph would set off all sorts of alarms.
“Hey all. How’re things going so far? Good, I hope.”
It was weird how nervous you were for the well-being of a family that wasn’t yours.
Gwen nodded, a slight smile on her red lips.
“We’re making progress. The whole…’Warren’ situation is still a little shaky…”
It was all Captain Stacy could do not to glower at the mention of the man who’d so grossly violated the privacy of his daughter.
“But we at least managed to convince her to spend some time with us. Every other week, she’ll come over to stay at our place, and when we can find the time, we’ll come and spend time with her friends over here.” Gwen continued.
“That’s only if you can convince your new boss to let you have a moment’s rest so that you can spend some time with your old man.” George put in.
“We’re trying to work something out with Sable International and the Avengers.”
“Backup Avengers.” you corrected.
“Right.” Gwen said with a sigh. “Either way, we’re trying to make sure that nothing like what happened last time can happen again. Hill’s gathering up all the agents she can spare and redeploying them to patrol duty.”
That means that you might have a decent chance of running into SHIELD’s more troublesome agents amidst the upcoming gang war. Names like Hawkeye and Spider-Woman(who for some reason had nothing to do with you) flashed through your mind.
If you were really unlucky, you might be pitted against the likes of Gwen or Bloodhound. You weren’t entirely sure if you were scared of fighting Peter Pan or not. On one hand, he was an eternally prepubescent brat with a tendency to forget and outright overlook important details. On the other hand, he was fast as hell and incredibly deadly with those blades of his.
Hopefully they’d be too busy fighting actual supervillains to bother with you. But that did bring up the question of how your relationship with Captain Stacy might change after your involvement with Silvermane became public knowledge. More than that, how would Gwen react?
(Cont.)';
'As you glanced over the Stacys, you eventually locked eyes with Joy. It then occurred to you that you never drilled into her the importance of maintaining a secret identity. Especially for someone in your line of work. You really hoped she hadn’t blurted out your name at any point during your conversation.
The blonde clone seemed to be blissfully unaware of your inner turmoil, and was instead content to smile at you from where she sat. And if you had to guess, the empty snack wrappers littering the table had something to do with her good mood. They were no doubt bribes that were used to keep her complacent while the Stacys went over some of the more troubling topics involving Joy’s conception, upbringing, and current living situation.
Judging by the various brands of sugar-filled treats that you recognized from the labels printed on the empty plastic packages, Joy might’ve just been basking in the afterglow of a recent sugar rush.
What will you do/say?
>"Excuse us for a moment." Pull Joy aside for a quick little private chat.
>”Hey Joy, Abe’s here if you want to go say hi! He’s doing a thing with Shark Girl, though, so you might have to wait a bit.”
>”That’s great. I’m glad you guys could come to an understanding. I just hope you have a big enough snack budget to maintain this relationship.”
>”You don’t have to restrict your activities to the park or your house. Go out for dinner every once in a while, or go to see a movie. I don’t think Joy’s really had much of a chance to explore this city since she started living with the mutants.”
>”If you guys want, you can also invite your friends and coworkers to the park’s grand reopening. The Morlocks and I are planning something big that should be a hit with the regular park-goers.”
>Write-in.
Pastebins:
Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV
Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd
Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE
Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip
Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR';
'>>5993475
>"Excuse us for a moment." Pull Joy aside for a quick little private chat.
Just to be sure we dont get doxxed';
'>>5993475
>”I guess none of you knew that too much processed sugar is toxic to spiders. If Joy develops a headache or lethargy in the next couple hours we’ll need to pump her out.”
>”But seriously, I’m glad you guys could come to an understanding. I just hope you have a big enough snack budget to maintain this relationship.”
It’s fun to mess with friends.
>”You don’t have to restrict your activities to the park or your house. Go out for dinner every once in a while, or go to see a movie. I don’t think Joy’s really had much of a chance to explore this city before or after she started living with the mutants. Just keep the super senses in mind and skip the rock concerts at first.”
If I remember right, Warren kept her on a tight leash too since bots were out hunting her and Abe. The university was the only safe place.
>”Hey Joy, our brother-in-spiderdom is here if you want to go say hi! He’s doing a thing with Shark Girl, though, so you might have to wait a bit.”
Keeping names out of it just in case, and if she calls him out by name then it gives us an excuse to point out she shouldn’t make a habit of using real names while people are masked up. Even if she has been bribed with a ton of treats. Word spreads, and not everyone around a hero can fight like one.
>”If you guys want, you can also invite your friends and coworkers to the park’s grand reopening. The Morlocks are planning something big that should be a hit with the regular park-goers.”
Let them take full credit unless pressed. We’re just one helper.
>”If Hill is deploying more agents here then what does that mean elsewhere? I appreciate the security, but the acronym agencies are bigger than one city.”
She might let slip some of the specific heroes being deployed here. Good info to know, though I don’t know if we’ll do anything with it.';
'>>5993475
>"Word to the wise Joy, pace yourself with the sweets. A super metabolism is only gonna make the crash hit that much harder, believe me."
>”You don’t have to restrict your activities to the park or your house. Go out for dinner every once in a while, or go to see a movie. I don’t think Joy’s really had much of a chance to explore this city since she started living with the mutants.”';
'>>5993477
>>5993492
>>5993730
>”You don’t have to restrict your activities to the park or your house. Go out for dinner every once in a while, or go to see a movie. I don’t think Joy’s really had much of a chance to explore this city before or after she started living with the mutants. Just keep the super senses in mind and skip the rock concerts at first.”
We've got two for this vote. Would you like me to move forward with it?';
'>>5995185
I wouldn't be opposed';
'>>5995185
I’m willing to switch to >>5993730 to keep the little write-in!';
'>>5993730
>>5995189
>>5995341
Gotcha! I'm gonna be a bit tied up tonight, but I'll post an update as soon as I possibly can tomorrow.';
'>>5995425
No rush, we’ll be here!';
}